What is reality?
by McAbby Tiva
Summary: Valkyrie wakes up after an accident and now there is no proof that Skulduggery exist or any sign of the magical community. Rating may change.
1. The accident

She was just eating out with her parents when she heard a scream. Instinct kicked  
in. She jumped up her chair flying against the wall.

'Stephanie?' Her mother asked. "What was that?" Her mother was  
looking at her husband and holding Alice.

'I'll be right back!' Valerie yelled at her mother already out of the door.  
Going to the direction of the scream she enters a small shop. Inside was an old  
woman lying on the ground and another one standing over her. The woman who was  
standing had white hair that looked like it hasn't been washed for weeks. Her lips  
were dry and cracked. Valerie noticed her eyes. Where there was suppose to be  
white was blood red. She let out another scream. Unwillingly shivers ran down Valkyrie's  
spine.

"Miss?" Is there something wrong?'

The woman looked up.

'No' was the only reply. Her voice sounded cold.

Before Valkyrie could react she felt the darkness in her body. Everything went  
black. The only sound she could hear was laughing.

* * *

When she opened her eyes everything was white and bright. A beeping sound was  
to her left but she felt too sore to move.

'Miss Edgley?' A voice said.

Finally focusing she noticed a man, also dressed in white, standing next to  
her. Valkyrie answered with a grunting sound.

"Miss you're in the hospital. You've been in a coma for the past two months.  
You were found in a place called Mina's Shop. Do you remember?"

Forcing her brain to work she remembered the woman, her eyes and the laugh. She  
wanted to nod her head but the pain was too much. The doctor must have noticed.

"I'm giving you something for the pain it will make you sleep."

She fell back into the darkness.

* * *

When she woke again her parents were standing next to her bed. Her mother was  
the first to notice her eyes opening.

"Steph!" Her mother touched her head. "You scared us!"

Her father only nodded. "Why did you do it?"

"What? What happened?" Valkyrie asked her throat burning.

"Well you're the one who decided to eat something that a complete  
stranger gave you!"

Her father interrupted her mother. "Didn't we teach you that? Wasn't it  
the first rule?" Valkyrie could see he was very upset.

Aware that her brain was not yet fully awake she tried to remember eating. She  
couldn't.

"What are you talking about?" She asked her parents.

"The cookie? The one that old lady gave you? It had herbs of some kind in  
that is not good for the body. You passed out. Hit your head against a table  
with more herbs on. As the herbs fell it fell on your wound. The doctors had to  
pump your stomach and had to get the things out of your wound and blood! "

"Oh" was her answer. So she passed out and went into a coma for two  
months. When she started thinking about that her mind went clear. Ignoring the  
pain she tried to sit up. Her father pushed her back.

"Don't get up. You will hurt yourself!"

Not having enough energy to fight him she lied back down. "How long?"  
She whispered.

"Two months darling" her mother said concern coloring her voice.

No. This wasn't right. Where was Skulduggery? Couldn't he wake her up? She's  
aware that he wasn't with her when the incident happened but if it's been two  
months shouldn't he have came looking for her? Or maybe he was her when she was  
asleep and left her. What if he got a new partner? Would he do that? Valkyrie  
closed her eyes stopping the tears.

After a few minutes she heard her mother whisper.

"Come. Let's go home. We can come back tomorrow. She's sleeping  
again." She heard them leaf. Not long after that nee footsteps approached

"Miss? Are you awake?"

Valkyrie opened her eyes to see the doctor standing next to her bed. He gave  
her a smile and started writing things down.

"Who else was here?" Valkyrie asked not able to keep herself in.

The doctor seemed surprised by her question.

"Only your parents."

She nodded her head and closed her eyes. It was expected. He could have sneaked  
in at night. He would do that. After the doctor left she stared at the roof.  
The whole night long, waiting for him. Sometime during the early morning hours  
reality kicked in. He wasn't coming.


	2. What now?

After another week in the hospital she was released. Her mother was fussing about making sure she was fine and comfortable. When she got home she headed straight to her room. She locked her door and went straight to the mirror. She looked horrible. She lost a lot of weight or muscles. Her eyes had dark rings around them and she was pale with no color whatsoever. Lifting up her arm her finger touches the mirror. After a few seconds she pulls away and to her utter astonishment so did her reflection.

"No!"

She touched the mirror over and over. Her reflection didn't change. She turned around and went to the open window. She snapped her fingers hoping for fire. Nothing. She tried air and water. Nothing. Nononononononononononononononono. She had to get to the Sanctuary immediately. Going downstairs she told her parents that she wanted to sleep. Back in her room she re locked the door and went to the window. That's when she remembered that she can't jump out as she had nothing to stop her fall. She exited her room sneaking down the stairs. Her parents where nowhere to be seen. She went to the door and opened it. Outside she headed to the bus stop. When she finally arrived her body was screaming in protest. Valkyrie waited until the right bus arrived. On the bus she registered a few things. Her ring was nowhere to be seen. She had normal clothes on and had no idea where her black suit was. When the bus stopped she got off and walked the two blocks to where the Sanctuary should be. There was nothing. She tried to enter but nothing changed. Looking around she could see no one who looked familiar. She looked everywhere for any sign of somebody who might know what happened. After thirty minutes she could no longer even stand. She sat down at the side of the building, blinking to make sure that she doesn't cry. She could only imagine what Skullduggery would say if he saw her like this. Thinking about it she can't even imagine it. A small chuckle escaped her lips. If anyone saw her like this they would truly believe that she's crazy. The sudden ringing of her phone got her out of her sulking.

"Hello?"  
"Stephanie? Where the hell are you?" She heard her mother yell.  
Thinking about it she gave her mother the address and returned to the bus stop. When her father arrived he looked livid. Neither of them spoke a word on the drive back.  
At the house her mother was waiting.

"What where you doing? You just got out of the hospital and now you're sneaking out already?"

"I'm sorry mum. I needed to see something."

"See something? You could have asked! We would have taken you!"

Valkyrie looked at the floor this time not hiding the tears. Her mother relaxed and came towards her.

"Ask us if you need something." Her mother said giving her a hug.

Valkyrie hugged back  
"I will."

After her mother gave her some water she could escape back to her room. Inside she grabbed her phone. The only contacts where her parents number and some relatives and friends but no Skulduggery. Luckily for her she knew the number out of her head. As she pressed the phone against her ear a recorded voice told her that the number no longer existed. She dropped the phone and staggered to her bed. When her head hit the pillow she lost control her tears running freely.  
What is happening? Where was Skulduggery?


	3. Truth?

She couldn't take it anymore. It has been two days since she came up with her plan, which naturally failed. Her parents weren't leaving her alone. Valkyrie was sitting at the table staring at the cup in front of her.

"Steph! Oh here you are. I. Need to go and fetch some things for dinner. Go get yourself ready." Her mother suddenly tells her. She answers by pushing her cup away and getting up at the door she is struck with a plan.  
"Mom, I" Fake cough. "I really don't feel good. I want to go to bed. Can I please stay? Please mom?" Valkyrie asks her mother. There isn't really that much acting needed as she really is feeling horrible. And it works. Her mother looks up from the paper she has been reading.

"O honey! Of course. I'm sorry I wasn't thinking. Do you need anything?" Her mother asked her voice full of motherly concern.

"No mom I'm fine." Valkyrie tells her mother heading to her room. She stays there until she hears the car driving off. At the open window she again tries to get air in her control but there is nothing. She feels like cursing but knowing that her time is limited she grabs her coat and ran outside. There is not enough time to go to Skulduggery's house but she can make it to her nice without her parents noticing.

At their house she rang the bell a few times before starting to notice that all the windows and curtains where closed. She remembered overhearing a conversation between her parents that Fergus and Beryl where, for the first time, going out on the boat that was left for them by Gordon. She had assumed Carol and Crystal would stay home. After pressing on the bell for another few minutes. There was no answer. Feeling the dread settle in her she turned around and started walking back to her house. After a few steps she had the impression that someone was looking at her. She turned around. Out of the corner of her eyes she could have sworn she saw movement in the top window of the second floor. Feeling weird she turned around and started walking, a little faster this time. A sudden cloud burst made her dripping wet at the time she arrived at the house. The house was still silent which meant that her parents and Alice was still not home. She started to head upstairs in the bathroom she striped her clothes and got into the shower. She opened the hot water and allowed it to spread over her. In a few minutes her body started protesting against the heat. Even then she didn't move. She allowed her mind to go blank. In an hour her body had blister but was also used to the heat of the water. As she got out of the shower she noticed that there were no towels in the bathroom. Her mother must have washed them. She picked up her clothes and sprinted to her room. As she got an old jersey over her head she faced the mirror. Breathing deeply she held out her hand but not touching holding her breath she touched the cold surface. Reluctantly she took her hand away and so did her reflection. Like so many times in the past weeks she felt tears in her eyes and the panic rising to her throat. At her bed she misjudged the distance between the bed and the bed table and hit her foot against the bedpost. This made her lose control. The bed, table, lamp and alarm were all in plain sight and were also in direct line of fire. Within minutes her room was a complete mess. She fell on her knees and pressed her palms to her face. A familiar metallic smell reached her. As she looked at her hand she saw they both had deep cuts with blood still gushing out. By now she had lost complete control and curling into a ball and holding her legs she cried. In the distance she heard a door opening and a sharp intake of breath.

"Stephanie?" she heard her father asking. Valkyrie managed to look up at them and had to agree with their facial expressions. Seeing their eldest daughter in a room where the bed was turned upside down, an alarm and lamp that was now in pieces and her lying in a bundle with blood around her. On impulse she decided to allow the darkness that has been fighting to take control over her, in. if the darkness took her life away then maybe it will also bring it back. If this didn't work she had no idea what to do. The past seven years could not have been a dream. She wanted to go back to saving lives and fighting crime and most of all she wanted and needed her partner back.


	4. Excuse me?

When she wakes up the sun is shining into the room she is sleeping in. As she starts to focus she notice that she is in her parents room and that Alice is sitting at the end of the bed. Alice gives her a small wave proceeded by jumping off and running out of the room. Sitting up Valkyrie gets a dizzy feeling. Then her mother appears at the door but doesn't come into the room.

"I'm making some bread for you. Just stay here." She tells her before also disappearing.

As Valkyrie got out of the bed she misses the warm instantly but an idea had appeared in her head. She went to her room which was still in the condition of the previous night. She ignored that and grappled some pants and a jacket and then went downstairs. Her parents were talking in hushed voices to each other and Alice was engrossed in her dolls. Valkyrie overheard word such as doctor and psychologist. At the mention of the psychologist she had to stop herself from laughing. A psychologist would have a field day with her. Of that she was 100% sure. She continued to the front door and as soon as the door closed she ran. After waiting a while for a cab to arrive she is finally on her way to Skullduggery's house. Sitting at the back she can't help but notice her hands, both raw with cuts but no blood. Her mother must have cleaned them. She can't help but feeling a bit guilty of leaving the house like that and taking their money from their room but she knew waiting any longer she might end up doing something crazy.

As the cab drops her of she can't help but to start to worry. After finding the spare key where they hid it her hope comes back. She and Skulduggery had a big argument about this key. He saw no reason as to why it had to be hidden. She had won by telling him that if she kept it one her it might get lost. In the house everything looked fine. There were no signs of fighting and noting was broken or missing. Automatically she headed to her own room. When she sees her own bed and some of her clothes in the closet she gives a little fist pump. She quickly proceeds to Skullduggery's room. In his closet, filled with only suits, she notices an old brown box. She doesn't know what it contains but if he were to go away he would never leave it. She found it some years ago by accident. When she asked him what was inside he told her to leave it alone and that it was personal. Something in his voice told her to leave it and she did. She heads back to the kitchen and looks outside the window. The Bentley isn't there so maybe he's out? In the kitchen she gets the kettle out and some tea bags. In her mind this proves that there must be someone living, living there. As the kettle is finished she locates the cup and almost trip. Her reflexes are a bit rusty but she manages to save it before it touches the floor. With a warm cup of tea she heads to the living room.

Later that day when it was getting dark outside she went to make her sixth cup of tea. Her phone was buzzing on the table where she left it earlier after sending her mother a short text telling her that she was fine and will be back later. The effect of a new sound it the silent house makes her go rigid until her mind tells her that it is the sound of a car door closing. Heading back she goes to the door to wait for whoever it is. As the door opens her pulse quickens in anticipation and her mind starts to think this plan over. What if it is a stranger? She has nothing but an empty cup for her defense. When the doors opens and she sees the skeleton standing there her reaction surprises both of them. Within seconds she has her arms around him with him frozen and the lightly patting her on the back.

"Oh my God! Skulduggery! Where have you been? What the hell is going on! I couldn't find you anywhere. I was worried sick an almost completely sure that it was all some kind of dream! And why on earth can't I do anything?" Valkyrie starts ranting with Skulduggery standing still in the open door. When she's finish she relaxes and stares at him waiting for an answer. Rather than answering her he closes the door behind him and looks at her with his head tilted.

"I'm sorry?" he starts."Really do excuse me for asking this. But who are you?"

This time the cup shatters into a million pieces.


	5. History

Her breath got stuck somewhere in her throat. Skulduggery stepped forward with his head still tilted.  
"What?" Valkyrie whispered not sure what to make of this. A part of her desperately wanted to believe that he was joking with her but she knows he will never do such a thing.  
"Are you being serious?" She asks with a shaky voice.

"Yes." He answers. "I don't know who you are but you do seem to know me."

"How do you know that I know you?" Valkyrie asks him grasping at the last hope she has left.

"Well other than the fact that I'm a skeleton and that doesn't surprise or bother you. You also knew how to get in my house with a key and seem to know your way around judging by the shattered cup. And you know my name." As he spoke he started leading her towards the living room. Unwillingly she starts to feel her body shaking and falls back on the couch she has been occupying for the whole day unless when she was busy making tea.  
"How about we start with a name? You know mine already so what's yours?"  
"Valkyrie." She whispers. "My name is Valkyrie Chain and I have been your partner since I was 12."

"Okay..."  
"You knew my uncle! Gordon! Come on! You can't just have forgotten about me! We've saved the world; I saved you from the faceless ones. I know about your past. The war. I know that you lost your wife and child back then and that China was the one who told Serpine where they were." She started telling him jumping up from the couch.

"Okay...Valkyrie. Everything you told me is the truth but you could have heard that from somewhere else. Secondly I don't have a partner and I don't seem likely to get one. The faceless ones? As far as I remember China is the one who saved me." He told her in a calm voice. "Maybe you heard about me and... thought that we where partners. But I have absolutely no memory or idea of you are."

Valkyrie knew that he was trying to be nice but this was going a bit too far. "So I'm some crazy chick who fell under your irresistible charm and went crazy and now I believe we worked together for the last seven years? Well let me tell you something! I am not crazy! I would never just make these things up. And would some crazy fan girl of yours know that you are truly Lord Vile?" This time it was Skulduggery's time to freeze in place. "Exactly! That is not something that just any person would know now is it?" At the last word her voice broke down again. "Please. I'm not lying."

With a sudden movement Skulduggery was standing in front of her.  
"How do you know that?" He asked her his voice filled with surprise but also a threatening undertone.  
Valkyrie didn't move. "You, him, saved us time and time again." She explained.

"Years ago I made a promise to myself. If anyone finds out I should take care of it. Why would I have let you continue with the knowledge?"

Surprised filled her. He never told her that part. "Because I know what you have to go through."

"Explain." He commanded.

"We are not that different. I have the same problem. You knew that. That part of me and Lord Vile also have some... connection"

"Who exactly is this other part of you?"

"Darquese."

Some part of Valkyrie feels some sense of pride. She has never before been able to make Skulduggery Pleasant speechless and in the last few minutes she achieved it twice. She couldn't help but give him a sarcastic smile. "The other me is known as Darquese. The one who's going to destroy the world."


End file.
